Top 10 Rose Bowl Defensive Players

1. Bob Stiles, UCLA: The defensive back was the 1966 Player of the Game and was carried off the field after the Bruins’ 14-12 win over No. 1 ranked Michigan State – mostly because he was unconscious. The Spartans tried a two-point conversion with less than a minute left after pulling to within two. Fullback Bob Apisa took the handoff and was near the end zone when Stiles ran at full speed and kept Apisa from tying the game. Stiles was the first defensive player to be honored with a player of the game distinction.

2. Brian Cushing, USC: As one of just two players to ever start in four Rose Bowl games, Cushing won as a sophomore, junior and senior. His most productive game was leading the Trojans with seven tackles and 2.5 sacks in the 2007 win over Michigan.

3. Dick Butkus, Illinois: The Big Ten MVP linebacker led the charge as part of the Illini’s 1964 Rose Bowl 17-7 win over Washington. Playing both ways (he was also the center), he recovered a fumble and had an interception as the Illini held Washington to 59 yards rushing and 71 yards passing. He was inducted into the Rose Bowl Hall of Fame in 1995.

4. Tank Carder, Texas Christian: The 2011 player of the game had three tackles for a loss, plus a sack on a key third-and-8 play. On a Wisconsin two-point conversion try that would have put the Badgers ahead late in the game, Carder blitzed and leaped up to knock down the pass.

5. Elmer Layden, Notre Dame: Best remembered as an All-America fullback and one of the legendary Four Horsemen of Notre Dame, he scored two touchdowns on interceptions in the 1925 game. He also had an 80-yard punt in the 27-10 win over Stanford.

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6. Steve Emtman, Washington: Helping the Huskies in back-to-back Rose Bowl in ’91 and ’92, the Lombardi and Outland Trophy winner was co-player of the year as a senior for his undefeated team.

7. Michael Huff, Texas: During the Longhorns’ national championship win over USC in 2005, the defensive back recovered a fumbled lateral from Reggie Bush, a play the changed the momentum of the game. He was also a key defender in stopping USC running back LenDale White from picking up a first down in a critical fourth-and-2 play in the fourth quarter, which led to quarterback Vince Young’s game-winning drive. Huff was defensive player of the game.

8. Don Rogers, UCLA: The 1983 co-player of the game also tied a Rose Bowl record in the ’84 game when he had two interceptions against Illinois quarterback Jack Trudeau.

9. Jack Del Rio, USC: the outside linebacker was co-player of the game in the Trojans’ 1985 win over Ohio State.

10. Percy Snow, Michigan State: The middle linebacker was the player of the game in 1988 after the Spartans defeated USC.